One of the hardest things with using the iPad in the classroom is finding the time to go through all of the apps in the iTunes Store listed under the education banner. We have started to list some of the apps we've found under each of the Key Learning Areas.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Ten Sites Supporting iPads In Education…

Discover 10 great iPad education resource websites. These are entire sites devoted to bringing you the best ways to use the iPad in the classroom. They include resources, apps, lesson plans, and even some apptivities (what a neat word)! As more schools discover the power of the iPad, there seem to be more educators excited about discovering apps that engage students while making classroom learning come alive! This is a post that you will want to share with others! Also, please visit my 21centuryedtech Blog and sign up for free email and RSS feeds that will include great technology innovation as I find it. You can also follow me on twitter at mjgormans. I want to build this list of iPad websites past twenty! If you know of a great iPad site please leave a comment so that I can learn and share! - Have a great week! - Mike

Note - If you will be traveling to MEC in Tempe Arizona or CUE in Palm Springs California this March 2011 please introduce yourself at one of my sessions. I am making the trip from Indiana and will have two presentation at each conference. They include Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives... No Future Left Behind, STEM to STEAM to STEAMIE... Turning Up The Temperature, and A 7 Step Approach to Website Evaluation... A-G.

Ten Must Visits Websites Supporting iPads In Education

Several weeks ago I reviewed one of the most powerful iPad app sites on the web. If you missed the posting be sure to give this prior post a visit. The website iEar is an amazing site based on both teacher reviews and contributions. You may just want to become a member of iEar today! Again, check out this prior post for link and information. Perhaps you want to discover even more apps for your classroom iPad. Then read below and discover ten more sites that will bring out your need to keep filling the memory chip of your iPad, iTouch, or iPhone!

1. The iPhone Application List – While this site has numerous categories for apps, I have directed you to a portion of the site that contains about 100 apps both free and for purchase. You can select between free and paid. Each app is click-able allowing the reader to view description, posting date, and a link to the download.

3. The iPad In Education – A great site based in the United Kingdom and administered by Ian Wilson, a freelance Apple Distinguished Educator. When you visit the site be sure to have some extra time to visit all of the links. The pages, listed by subject area, provide a large number of useful apps for teaching and learning. Categories include Apps - includedwith the iPad, Artwork, Geography, History, Literacy, Miscellaneous, Numeracy, Music, and Productivity. The United Kingdom “iPad In Education” is a must visit for those wanting to learn more about the iPad, its apps, and ways to deploy it in the classroom.

4. Teach With Our iPad - Have you ever been to one of those sites that was so filled with resources, you didn’t know where to begin! I suggest that you begin by just visiting this site. It really is so much more than an awsome collection of iPad Apps. You may wish to start with iPad Apps and its listing of over 500 apps, descriptions, reviews, and even apps to get started with. Or, instead, begin with the searchable data base or take a look at their cool list of projection apps.

5. The iPad Schools - This wiki is intended to be a clearinghouse of applications, lesson ideas, and experiences using the iPad in the classroom. The intent of this wiki is to give a listing of apps that have been tested and recommended by teachers who are using them. The listings in this wiki are generally created using google docs and members of the wiki are invited to update and add information. I especially like the Creativity Apps, Teacher Tools Apps and the VGA Output Apps. You also may wish to check out Managing a Classroom Set of iPads and This is what I did… (which is a selection of the authors’ reflections and practical applications.

6. The iPad Curriculum – This website is a blog with in-depth articles relating to the iPad. It claims to be a collection of the best in applications, practices, and deployment of the iPad as a learning device. Upon reading, you’ll find the blog does give some excellent in-depth articles about apps, deployment, and uses. One of my favorites on this site helps innovative teachers write their own app using edupad without the need for code knowledge. A clever data base search engine that involves steps of Bloom’s Taxonomy is especially useful. While the site is relatively new, the archive dates to July 2010, it seems that this blog holds some great promise for iPad users.

7. AppAnnie – The link included brings you to the educational listings for this web site. Note that it lists about 200 educational apps which are click-able with a description and also note whether they are free or entail a cost. Visitors will also notice a button that will deliver a new page with 500 iPhone educational apps. If you are an app developer you may want to investigate the app nanny. This service provides an App Care web service for iPhone app developers, helping them keep tabs on their apps. It’s free during the open beta.

8.ACALANES Union HS – This Google Site is maintained by dedicated people at a high school integrating mobile learning for their students. The link will bring you to 75 apps available for the iPad and education. Take another look and you will find a link that will provide 210 integrating apps for the iPod Touch. There is still more, how about an area dedicated to learning how to write an ebook with and for the iPad. Information includes using Google Doc Mobile, using Pages App on the iPad, or integrating with Google Docs on the computer. Last, be sure to visit the “Ideas For iPads” Slide show for some great ideas!

9. Apptivities - The website defines apptivities as, ” models for successful instructional practices with mobile devices”. This is a unique site in that it is the application of apps that creates a transformation in learning. Various apps are covered by offering suggestions of ways to use them in the classroom. There are even video examples to help further educator understanding. Apptivities is the response to a challenge given at the ADE Summer Institute 2010 at Full Sail University, Orlando, Florida. ADE colleagues contribute apptivities, a specific learning activity using apps on mobile devices. A key part of the vision for apptivities is to provide media resources that give a “view” into best practices in the classroom. You can even help support the challenge of supporting teachers in using mobile applications effectively to improve student learning. A link for action will allow you to contribute your own apptivities.

10. Apple Ipad Site- Did you really think I would forget the company that made the iPad possible? This link brings you to a site where you will find all of those apps listed by category. You will find a large listing in the apps iTunes store. While you are at it, you may wish to learn about Apple app volume purchases.